DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN
US, 1985, 104 minutes, Colour.
Rosanna Arquette, Madonna, Aidan Quinn, Mark Blum, Robert Joy, Will Patton, Steven Wright, John Turturro.
Directed by Susan Seidelman.
Desperately Seeking Susan is a lively '80s comedy. It focuses on the Yuppies of America - their lifestyle, their boredom, aspirations - and the possibility of a different lifestyle.
The film was directed by Susan Seidelman who made an impact with her small budget feature, Smithereens. Writer and many of the crew on this film were women. The film is a vehicle for singer Madonna - and she received good reviews, far better than from her subsequent Shanghai Surprise. However, the star of the film is Rosanna Arquette (who won a British Film Award for her performance). The supporting cast includes Mark Blum (Crocodile Dundee), Aden Quinn (Reckless, Early Frost, The Mission) and Canadian, Robert Joy.
The film is a variation on the old caper movie with touches of the old amnesia plot. Altogether, it works entertainingly well.
1. A pleasing and breezy comedy? Caper movie? The contemporary atmosphere of the '80s?
2. New Jersey, New York, the contemporary atmosphere, the city, the upbeat, the offbeat, the downbeat? Sense of place in new York? Action and pace? Score and songs? (Madonna's singing?)
3. The title and its amusing tone? Susan and Roberta and their interchange? The personal columns of the papers and their effects on individuals?
4. Susan's situation, the robbery, the murder, the killer and his pursuit, the exhibition and the earrings? Jimmy and Susan and the need to make contact?
5. The contrast with Roberta's situation: home, four years of marriage, Gary and his concern about position and money, parties, the banal diary, the emptiness of her life, reading the Personal columns? Her curiosity, following Susan, imitating her, buying the jacket?
6. The contrived verve of the film: Susan and the money, her being taken to jail? Roberta and the mistake about her identity? Des mistaking her? Her hitting her head, amnesia and a comedy of errors?
7. Susan in jail, her contacts, friend at the Magic Club, the continued advertisements in the Personal column, meeting Gary, going to his home and enjoying the swimming pool etc., helping to locate Roberta? Her character? Madonna's style?
8. Roberta and her wandering, the pursuit of the killer, her being mistaken for Susan, Des picking her up, her reaction, loss of memory? The change and her Coming alive, getting the job in the Magic Club? The killer's pursuing her? Jail? Falling in love with Des, spending the night with him? Her acting in the magic show? Gary's finding her, his disgust? The chase and the killer? Her hitting him on the head? The decision to leave Gary? The triumphant finale with Susan?
9. Des and his showing the films, a pleasant man, doing a favour for Jimmy, confused by Susan- Roberta attracted to her, saving her, jail, the search, the night with her, telling the truth to Jimmy, the puzzle, the happy ending?
10. The satire on Gary and his style, friends, the fashionable affair, Lesley and her comments, values and morals, the search, shocked at Roberta’s behaviour, the magic show, the chase, his being offended as she left him?
11. Lesley, her talk, help, suggestions of what was wrong with Roberta?
12. Jimmy and his relationship with Susan, arrival, shock, reuniting with her?
13. The killer, disguises, chases, the final knockout?
14. Satiric observation on aspects of American life?
15. The use of popular conventions of caper, crime mysteries, amnesia, Roberta watching old movies, Des showing them - and the film burning in the projector? An offbeat success?
